New guinea impatiens plant named ‘Duesweeters’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Impatiens  plant named ‘Duesweeters’, characterized by its compact, upright and outwardly spreading growth habit; mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; vigorous growth habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; large red and pale pink bi-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Impatiens hawkeri.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Duesweeters’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Duesweeters’.

The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breedingprogram is to create new compact New Guinea Impatiens cultivars withlarge and attractive flowers.

The new Impatiens originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in August, 2003 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietaryselection of Impatiens hawkeri identified as code number 00-0175-13, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofImpatiens hawkeri identified as code number E-18-1819, not patented, asthe male, or pollen, parent. The new Impatiens was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progenyof the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment inRheinberg, Germany in May, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Impatiens by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Rheinberg, Germany since July, 2005, has shownthat the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproducedtrue to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Duesweeters has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Duesweeters’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Duesweeters’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofImpatiens:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and outwardly spreading growth habit;        mounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Vigorous growth habit.    -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   5. Freely flowering habit.    -   6. Large red and light pink bi-colored flowers.    -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of thefemale parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens are more compact than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens and the female parent selection        differ in flower color.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the maleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens are more compact than plants of        the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens have larger flowers than plants        of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the Impatienscultivar Neptis, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,321. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of thenew Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar Neptis in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens were more compact than plants of        the cultivar Neptis.    -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens had shorter internodes than        plants of the cultivar Neptis.    -   3. Plants of the new Impatiens had smaller leaves and shorter        petioles than plants of the cultivar Neptis.    -   4. Plants of the new Impatiens had smaller flowers and shorter        peduncles than plants of the cultivar Neptis.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Impatiens, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Impatiens. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Duesweeters’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in Rheinberg, Germany, in containersand under commercial practice during the spring in a glass-coveredgreenhouse with day and night temperatures averaging 18° C. and lightlevels averaging 4,500 lux. Plants had been growing for about 16 weekswhen the photograph and description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Duesweeters.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens            hawkeri identified as code number 00-0175-13, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens            hawkeri identified as code number E-18-1819, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven days at            temperatures of 22° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About ten days at            temperatures of 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 18 days            at temperatures of 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 25 days            at temperatures of 22° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright to outwardly            spreading growth habit; mounded plant habit. Freely            branching habit with about nine lateral branches; pinching            is typically not required. Moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 16 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 12 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 14 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 5 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 3.1 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—59A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite or in whorls; simple.        -   Length.—About 8.3 cm.        -   Width.—About 3.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Apiculate.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Serrulate with ciliation.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;            leathery.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface:            139A; venation, 59A. Developing and fully expanded foliage,            lower surface: 59A; venation, 59A.        -   Petiole length.—About 1.3 cm.        -   Petiole diameter.—About 3 mm.        -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—59A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rounded axillary            flowers. Freely flowering habit; usually about six to eight            open flowers and flower buds per lateral branch. Flowers            positioned above the foliage and typically face upright or            outward. Flowers last about one week under greenhouse            conditions. Petals self-cleaning, gynoecium persistent.            Flowers not fragrant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse            conditions. In the garden, flowering from spring until fall            in Germany. Plants begin flowering about eight weeks after            planting.        -   Flower size.—Length: About 5.6 cm. Diameter: About 5.6 cm.            Depth: About 2.3 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.            Shape: Ovate. Color: 59A tinted with 44B.        -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower in a single            whorl. Length: About 3.1 cm. Width: About 3.2 cm. Shape:            Obcordate. Apex: Emarginate; rounded. Base: Acute. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            satiny. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface:            55D; central stripes, banner blotch and towards the margins,            44B. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: 40A to            40B.        -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Three; one modified into an            elongated spur. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 5 mm.            Shape: Oval. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 147A. Spur length: About            4.7 cm. Spur diameter: At flower, about 3 mm; at apex, less            than 1 mm. Spur texture: Smooth, glabrous. Spur color: 47B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.9 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Angle: Upright to outward. Strength: Strong; flexible.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 53A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five fused at            anthers; filaments free. Anther length: About 5 mm. Anther            shape: Oval. Anther color: 155B tinted with 60C. Pollen            amount: Abundant. Pollen color: 11D. Pistils: Quantity per            flower: One. Pistil length: About 6.5 mm. Stigma shape:            Crested. Stigma color: 145D. Style color: 150B. Ovary color:            59A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to New Guinea    Impatiens.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Impatiens have been observed    to have good garden performance and tolerate temperatures ranging    from about 8° C. to about 35° C.

1. A new and distinct Impatiens plant named ‘Duesweeters’ as illustratedand described.